Does anyone know the position of non-practising Muslims in Islam? Are they considered to be apostates? Evidence from the Quran and Sunnah would be appreciated.
Volume 001 : Purification and Prayer. Fiqh 1.077B.
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Section : One Who Ignores His Prayers.
Not praying and denying its obligation is seen as disbelief and places the person outside the religion of Islam. All scholars agree on this point. They base their opinion on several hadith, some of which are:
Jabir reports that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said, "Between a person and disbelief is discarding prayer." (Related by Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmizhi and Ibn Majah.)
Buraidah reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said, "The pact between us and them is prayer. Whoever abandons it is a disbeliever." (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmizhi, anNasa'i and Ibn Majah.)
'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Aas reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, one day mentioned the prayer and said, "Whoever guards and observes his prayer, they will be a light and a proof and a saviour for him on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever does not guard and observe them, they will not be a light or a proof or a saviour for him. On the Day of Resurrection, he will be with Qarun, Fir'aun, Haman and Ubayy ibn Khalf." (Related by Ahmad, at-Tabarani and Ibn Hibban. Its chain is excellent.)
That one who does not pray will be with the leaders of the unbelievers in the Hereafter makes it evident that such a person is an unbeliever. Says Ibn al-Qayyim, "The one who does not pray may be preoccupied with his wealth, kingdom, position or business. If one is kept away from his prayers by his wealth, he will be with Qarun. One whose kingdom keeps him away from the prayers will be with Haman, and one whose business keeps him away from the prayers will be with Ubayy ibn Khalf."
Says 'Abdullah ibn Shaqiq al-'Aqeely, "The companions of Muhammad, peace be upon him, did not consider the abandonment of any act, with the exception of prayer, as being disbelief." (Related by at-Tirmizhi and al-Hakim, who said it met al-Bukahri's and Muslim's conditions.)
Says Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Mirwazi, "I heard Ishaq say, 'It is authentic (that) the Prophet (said or ruled): One who does not pray is an unbeliever." It is from the Prophet himself that one who intentionally does not pray until the time for the prayer is over is an unbeliever."
Says Ibn Hazm, "It has come from 'Umar, 'Abdurahman ibn 'Auf, Mu'azh ibn Jabal, Abu Hurairah and other companions that anyone who skips one obligatory prayer until its time has finished becomes an apostate. We find no difference of opinion among them on this point." This was mentioned by al-Munzhiri in at-Targheeb wa atTarheeb. Then he comments, "A group of companions and those who came after them believed that an intentional decision to skip one prayer until its time is completely finished makes one an unbeliever. The people of this opinion incude 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, Mu'azh ibn Jabal, Jabir ibn 'Abdullah and Abu ad-Darda'. Among the non-companions who shared this view were Ibn Hanbal, Ishaq ibn Rahwaih, 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, an-Nakha'i, al-Hakim ibn 'Utaibah, Abu Ayyub as-Sakhtiyani, Abu Dawud at-Tayalisi, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaibah, Zuhair ibn Harb, and others.
Some hadith make it clear that such a person should be killed. For example:
Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said, "The ties of Islam and the principles of the religion are three, and whoever leaves one of them becomes an unbeliever, and his blood becomes lawful: testifying that there is no god except Allah, the obligatory prayers, and the fast of Ramadan." (Related by Abu Ya'la with a hassan chain.) Another narration states, "If anyone leaves one of them, by Allah he becomes an unbeliever and no voluntary deeds or recompense will be accepted from him, and his blood and wealth become lawful." This is a clear indication that such a person is to be killed.
Ibn 'Umar related that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said, "I have been ordered to kill the people until they testify that there is no god except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and they establish prayer and pay the zakah. If they do that, their blood and wealth are protected from me save by the rights of Islam. Their reckoning will be with Allah." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
Umm Salamah related that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said, "There will be rulers over you who will do good and evil things. Whoever hates these (latter) acts will be innocent of them. Whoever denies them will be safe, but (not) one who accepts and follows them." They asked, "Should we kill them?" He said, "Not if they pray." (Related by Muslim.) Therefore, he made it unlawful to kill even an unjust ruler who observes his prayers.
Abu Sa'eed reported that 'Ali, while he was in Yemen, sent the Prophet some gold, which he then divided among four people. A man said, "O Messenger of Allah, beware of Allah." The Prophet said, "Woe to you. Of all the people of the earth, am I not the most dutiful in being aware of Allah?" Khalid ibn al-Walid said, "O Messenger of Allah, shall I kill him?" He said, "Perhaps he is one of those who pray." Khalid said, "How many people say with their tongues what is not in their hearts?" The Prophet said, "I have not been ordered to look into the hearts of people, nor to rip open their bellies." (Abridged from al-Bukhari and Muslim.) In this hadith also, prayer is given as the reason for not killing a person. It is understood, therefore, that not praying would have resulted in the person's killing.
Even though the preceding hadith clearly rule that one who discards salah becomes an unbeliever and should be killed, many early and later scholars (excluding Abu Hanifah, Malik and ash-Shafi) believe that such people become evildoers who must repent. If such a person does not repent, he is to be killed, that being the prescribed punishment, according to Malik, ash-Shai'i and others. Abu Hanifah maintains that such a person is not to be killed, but must be given a minor punishment and confined until he prays. They say the hadith that calls such people unbelievers refer to those who deny the prayers, and so on. They say that any other interpretation is contradicted by other texts. For example, Allah says, "Lo! Allah does not pardon one who gives Him partners. He pardons all save whom He wills" (an-Nisa' 116). There is also a hadith related by Abu Hurairah and recorded by Ahmad and Muslim in which the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said, "Every prophet has a special supplication that is answered. Every prophet hastened to make his supplication, but I concealed mine and will use it for my nation on the Day of Resurrection. It will be granted--Allah willing--to whoever dies without associating any partners with Allah." Al-Bukhari also recorded that Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said, "The person who will be the happiest due to my intercession is the one who says, 'There is no god but Allah' sincerely from his heart."
Says ash-Shaukani, "The truth of the matter is that he becomes an unbeliever who is to be killed for his unbelief. The hadith authenticates that Islamic law calls one who does not pray an unbeliever. It has also put the performance as the barrier between a believer and an unbeliever. Abandoning prayer means he may be called an unbeliever. We need not concern ourselves with arguments presented by those of the opposing opinion. We can say to them: It is not impossible that some types of unbelievers may obtain forgiveness or may have a right to intercession, such as the unbelief of those who pray to (our) qiblah. Nevertheless, the fact remains that they commit some sins which the Islamic law views as unbelief. To turn to the other narrow interpretations is just redundant."
Actually the person that doesn't pray takes himself out the fold of islam the prophet alayhi salaatu wassalaam said concerning the salaah "the agreement between us and them is the salaah" and theres a hadeeth that is even clearer "taariku salaah kaafir" the leaver of prayer is a disbeleiver from hadeeth jaabir i think (i'm not too sure so if i'm wrong please correct me inshaAllah), both ahaadeeth are saheeh,
however we don't say to the one that leaves prayer o so and so you are a kaafir, we don't have the authority to say this, we say his actions are those of kufr disbeleif and he is a faasig wrong doer for perpetrating a major sin.
Some of the scholars say, his actions are a lesser kufr/disbeleif, (kufr duun kufr), and don't think he is a kaafir leaving the fold of islam.
WAllahu a3lam.
Actually the person that doesn't pray takes himself out the fold of islam the prophet alayhi salaatu wassalaam said concerning the salaah "the agreement between us and them is the salaah" and theres a hadeeth that is even clearer "taariku salaah kaafir" the leaver of prayer is a disbeleiver from hadeeth jaabir i think (i'm not too sure so if i'm wrong please correct me inshaAllah), both ahaadeeth are saheeh,
however we don't say to the one that leaves prayer o so and so you are a kaafir, we don't have the authority to say this, we say his actions are those of kufr disbeleif and he is a faasig wrong doer for perpetrating a major sin.
Some of the scholars say, his actions are a lesser kufr/disbeleif, (kufr duun kufr), and don't think he is a kaafir leaving the fold of islam.
WAllahu a3lam.
Just saw the ahaadeeth in muslim_friends post, alhamdulilllah,
thanks alhamdulillah!
Comparison between the view of a unbeliever and a believer
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
Those who believe in the Unseen. 1
If you want to understand what great happiness and bounty, what great pleasure and ease is to be found in belief in God, listen to this story which is in the form of a comparison:
One time, two men went on a journey for both pleasure and business. One set off in a selfish, inauspicious direction; the other on a godly, propitious way.
Since the selfish man was both conceited, self-centred, and pessimistic, he ended up in what seemed to him to be a most wicked country due to his pessimism. He looked around and everywhere saw the powerless and the unfortunate lamenting in the grasp and at the destruction of fearsome bullying tyrants. He saw the same grievous, painful situation in all the places he travelled. The whole country took on the form of a house of mourning. Apart from becoming drunk, he could find no way of not noticing this grievous and sombre situation. For everyone seemed to him to be an enemy and foreign. And all around he saw horrible corpses and despairing, weeping orphans. His conscience was in a state of torment.
The other man was godly, devout, fair-minded, and with fine morals so that the country he came to was most excellent in his view. This good man saw universal rejoicing in the land he had entered. Everywhere was a joyful festival, a place for the remembrance of God overflowing with rapture and happiness; everyone seemed to him a friend and relation. Throughout the country he saw the festive celebrations of a general discharge from duties accompanied by cries of good wishes and thanks. And he also heard the sound of a drum and band for the enlistment of soldiers with happy calls of "God is Most Great!" and "There is no god but God!" Rather than being grieved at the suffering of both himself and all the people like the first miserable man, this fortunate man was pleased and happy at both his own joy and that of all the inhabitants. Furthermore, he was able to do some profitable trade. He offered thanks to God.
After some while he returned and came across the other man. He understood his condition, and said to him: "You were out of your mind. The ugliness inside you must have been reflected on the outer world so that you imagined laughter to be weeping, and the discharge from duties to be sack and pillage. Come to your senses and purify your heart so that this calamitous veil is raised from your eyes and you can see the truth. For the country of an utterly just, compassionate, beneficent, powerful, order-loving, and kind king could not be in the way you imagined, nor could a country which demonstrated this number of clear signs of progress and achievement." The unhappy man later came to his senses and repented. He said, "Yes, I was crazy through drink. May God be pleased with you, you have saved me from a hellish state."
O my soul! Know that the first man represents an unbeliever, or someone depraved and heedless. In his view the world is a house of universal mourning. All living creature are orphans weeping at the blows of death and separation. Man and the animals are alone and without ties being ripped apart by the talons of the appointed hour. Mighty beings like the mountains and oceans are like horrendous, lifeless corpses. Many grievous, crushing, terrifying delusions like these arise from his unbelief and misguidance, and torment him.
As for the other man, he is a believer. He recognizes and affirms Almighty God. In his view this world is an abode where the Name of the All-Merciful One is constantly recited, a place of instruction for man and the animals, and a field of examination for man and jinn. All animal and human deaths are a demobilization. Those who have completed their duties of life depart from this transient world for another, happy and trouble-free, world so that place may be made for new officials to come and work. The birth of all animals and humans forms their enlistment into the army, their being taken under arms, and the start of their duties. Each living being is a joyful regular soldier, an honest, contented official. And all voices, either glorification of God and the recitation of His Names at the outset of their duties, and the thanks and rejoicing at their ceasing work, or the songs arising from their joy at working. In the view of the believer, all beings are the friendly servants, amicable officials, and agreeable books of his Most Generous Lord and All-Compassionate Owner. Very many more subtle, exalted, pleasurable, and sweet truths like these become manifest and appear from his belief.
That is to say, belief in God bears the seed of what is in effect a Tuba Tree of Paradise, while unbelief conceals the seed of a Zakkum Tree of Hell.
That means that safety and security are only to be found in Islam and belief. In which case, we should continually say, "Praise be to God for the religion of Islam and perfect belief."
Does anyone know the position of non-practising Muslims in Islam? Are they considered to be apostates? Evidence from the Quran and Sunnah would be appreciated.
Beware: A VERY long article
All the Prophets (peace be upon them) came with one religion, which is to profess the unity of Allah by worshipping Him alone, and to declare that Allah is free from any defects or needs. The objective of the Prophets like Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them) was to take people from the worship of Allah's creation to the worship of Allah alone, to liberate humanity from all forms of disbelief and polytheism, and to guide them towards their Lord in a clear manner.
Christians were in the same good state right after Jesus (peace be upon him) came, since they were the guardians of the revelation that Allah sent to `Jesus (peace be upon him). Unfortunately, after some time, they forgot parts of these teachings and were affected by human frailties, so they corrupted the scripture and added to it their personal opinions.
At the same time, due to the Roman oppression of the Christian scholars and worshippers, many devoted people were killed. The killing of their scholars, the burning of their books, and the razing of their churches had a major effect on their losing much of the pure scripture and their going astray from the law of the Torah.
The Christians thereafter entered a new era of deifying Jesus (peace be upon him). More corruptions came about by the numerous translations and commentaries which were added to the original text, creating clear contradictions. The priests and monks convened several councils. This time is known in the Christian history as the era of the councils. During the Nicean Council in 338 AD, the priests formally sanctioned the idea of deifying Jesus (peace be upon him) and cursing whoever calls to true monotheism. They set laws to arrange church affairs and declared only four gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - to be acceptable.
It is worth mentioning the important role that was played played by Saint Paul in introducing these doctrines in the first place. He had formerly been known as “Saul the Jew” and was a bitter enemy of the Christians. He converted to Christianity and promoted it until he was approved by the Disciple Barnabas who supported him and introduced him to the Disciples who also approved of him.
After attaining this approval, he began to make many additions to the Christian religion, such as abandonment of the Law of the Torah, which was now being referred to as the "Old Testament". He called people to follow instead the "New Testament". He introduced the idea that Jesus (peace be upon him) was the son of God and built upon it the dogma of crucifixion and dying for the sins of humanity. He made all these changes under the pretense of unifying the Holy Book and making it free from contradictions.
The creed of Christianity was ultimately to stabilize on Trinitarianism and the deification of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), that he was the son of God, and that he died as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of humanity. The Christian leadership eliminated the scriptures in which mention was made of glad tidings of a Prophet after Jesus, referred to in the bible as the Periclete which means “the one possessing a praiseworthy character and morals”.
This new ideology spread among the Christians, and the religious authorities imposed it on all followers of the Church. In this way, the religion of Jesus (peace be upon him) was transformed from a pure religion for the worship of one Lord to a religion of polytheism, disbelief and deifying other than God. The pure religion of Jesus (peace be upon him) which called to the worship of one God who is free from all defects and limitations was transformed into to a religion in which its followers believe that the Divine entered into human form and that God has a son. They, in fact, worship other than God and sanctify the cross which they claim Jesus (peace be upon him) was crucified upon. They also fell into number of contradictions and major differences among themselves.
If we look at the history of Christianity, we can see that the religion that Jesus (peace be upon him) and all of the other Prophets came with was corrupted and changed into something else.
When Christianity ceased being able to guide the people, and instead became a cause of their corruption, Allah sent the last Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) to call the people back to monotheism just as Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) had done beforehand. He glorified God Allah above having a son or any other human frailties. He brought a noble and just code of Law. He spread knowledge, goodness, modesty, and justice.
Whoever enters into Islam will find in it every good and every honor, just as did those who entered into the true faith of Islam when it came with Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) and obeyed those Prophets and followed them.
Islam provides a complete and wholesome system of life embracing all of life's psychological, intellectual, emotional and practical aspects. If it is put into genuine practice, it brings balance and peace to a person as well as security, prosperity, and true civilization for humanity as a whole. The reason for this is that this religion conforms to human nature and is in harmony with it, because it is the religion that was sent by the Creator of humanity. Therefore, it does not contradict with human nature nor is it incompatible with it.
In this way, Islam offers humanity real benefits in their worldly life and in the Hereafter. It secures for them their welfare in this life and saves them from what is detrimental to them to the extent that it is put into practice.
By merely having a proper concept of one’s Lord and Creator, a person attains great intellectual, emotional, and practical benefits. This is enhanced further when that person puts this understanding into full practice.
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Re: R u a Muslim if.....
Friends there is a difference between a MUSLIM AND MU'MIN and i think this might be the answer for her question
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